''Oziroe'' is a genus of

bulb In botany, a bulb is structurally a short stem with fleshy leaves or leaf basesBell, A.D. 1997. ''Plant form: an illustrated guide to flowering plant morphology''. Oxford University Press, Oxford, U.K. that function as food storage organs duri ...

ous South American plants in the squill subfamily within the asparagus family.Stevens, P.F. (2001 onwards),
Asparagales: Scilloideae
, ''Angiosperm Phylogeny Website'', retrieved 2014-02-25 Within the Scilloideae, it is the sole member of the tribe

Oziroëeae ''Oziroe'' is a genus of bulbous South American plants in the squill subfamily within the asparagus family.Stevens, P.F. (2001 onwards),Asparagales: Scilloideae, ''Angiosperm Phylogeny Website'', retrieved 2014-02-25 Within the Scilloideae, it ...

and the only genus in the subfamily to be found in the New World.

Description

Species of ''Oziroe'' grow from bulbs, which have contractile roots as well as normal ones. Each bulb produces only a few leaves, which are thick and grooved. The flowering stem ( scape) appears at the same time as the leaves. It has

bract In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of ...

along its length, with generally one or two flowers on straight stalks ( pedicels) appearing from the angle between each bract and the scape. The flowers have six whitish tepals about long which are joined for a short length at the base. Fertilized flowers produce black pear-shaped seeds up to long.Jørgensen, P. M., M. H. Nee & S. G. Beck. (eds.) 2014. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de Bolivia, Monographs in systematic botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 127(1–2): i–viii, 1–1744.

Species

, the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families recognized five species: # ''

Oziroe acaulis ''Oziroe'' is a genus of bulbous South American plants in the squill subfamily within the asparagus family.Stevens, P.F. (2001 onwards),Asparagales: Scilloideae, ''Angiosperm Phylogeny Website'', retrieved 2014-02-25 Within the Scilloideae, it ...

'' (Baker) Speta -

Perú , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy fo ...

Bolivia , image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg , flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center , flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...

, Chile, Argentina # ''

Oziroe argentinensis ''Oziroe'' is a genus of bulbous South American plants in the squill subfamily within the asparagus family.Stevens, P.F. (2001 onwards),Asparagales: Scilloideae, ''Angiosperm Phylogeny Website'', retrieved 2014-02-25 Within the Scilloideae, it ...

'' (Lillo & Hauman) Speta -

, Paraguay, Argentina # ''

Oziroe arida ''Oziroe'' is a genus of bulbous South American plants in the Scilloideae, squill subfamily within the Asparagaceae, asparagus family.Stevens, P.F. (2001 onwards),Asparagales: Scilloideae, ''Angiosperm Phylogeny Website'', retrieved 2014-02-25 W ...

'' (Poepp.) Speta - Chile Common name: “lagrimas de la Virgen” # ''

Oziroe biflora ''Oziroe'' is a genus of bulbous South American plants in the squill subfamily within the asparagus family.Stevens, P.F. (2001 onwards),Asparagales: Scilloideae, ''Angiosperm Phylogeny Website'', retrieved 2014-02-25 Within the Scilloideae, it ...

'' (Ruiz & Pav.) Speta - Chile,

# ''

Oziroe pomensis ''Oziroe'' is a genus of bulbous South American plants in the squill subfamily within the asparagus family.Stevens, P.F. (2001 onwards),Asparagales: Scilloideae, ''Angiosperm Phylogeny Website'', retrieved 2014-02-25 Within the Scilloideae, it ...

'' Ravenna -

, Chile, Argentina

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q6055199 Asparagaceae genera Scilloideae Flora of South America Taxa named by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque